Mogadishu (AX) — In an audacious move, Northeastern State is rallying clans from the Bari region to combat the mounting menace of ISIS, which has dug its heels deep into the area. Spearheaded by First Deputy Speaker Mohamed Bari Shire, this charge comes on the heels of a deadly attack in Dharjaale village, laying bare glaring security frailties.
Cast your mind back to the last day of 2024, when Northeastern State’s security personnel managed to foil an ISIS assault on a military base in Dharjaale, resulting in the demise of 12 insurgents, many of them foreign. This offensive, punctuated by a suicide bombing and fierce skirmishes, claimed the lives of more than 20 soldiers and left over 30 wounded. Displaying unbowed defiance, Deputy Speaker Shire narrowly bested the attack, highlighting the escalating audacity of ISIS operations.
Leaders from remote eastern corners, particularly near Al Miskaad, are being urged to unite with Northeastern State officials to chase away the militant stirrers. In discourse with tribal elders, Shire painted Bari as a “predator’s haven,” overrun by ISIS and Al-Shabaab. He impressed upon them the dire necessity for grassroots unity to reclaim territories from these extremist clutches.
“Security forces alone can’t win this fight,” Shire declared. “It demands the bravery and collective action of the people to safeguard our communities.”
The Dharjaale incident saw insurgents penetrate several villages undetected, uncovering worrying holes in intelligence. Residents, cowed by ISIS’s vicious methods, have been loath to share crumbs of intel with authorities. This silence grants militants a carte blanche to romp around, spotlighting the urgency of community-led initiatives.
Northeastern State’s security squads grapple with the challenge of policing the region’s sprawling, craggy landscape. Local involvement is pivotal to bridging these intelligence chasms and thwarting upcoming attacks.
President Said Abdullahi Deni has ushered in Operation Hillaac, an ambitious counter-terrorism crusade to root out militant hideouts in Northeastern State’s rocky expanse. “This is a survival fight for Northeastern State and Somalia’s stability,” Deni emphasized.
In step, former Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke sounded the trumpet for more federal backing, counseling for a cohesive blueprint. “We must snuff out the threat of ISIS and Al-Shabaab before the curtain falls on 2025,” he urged with gravitas.
Ex-President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo hailed Northeastern State’s exertions, lauding the Dharjaale maneuver as central to Somalia’s anti-terror skirmish. “This valiant feat by Northeastern State’s defenders marks a triumph for all Somali,” Farmaajo remarked. “The Federal Government must rally behind Northeastern State in this national thrust,” he added.
Experts caution that Northeastern State’s strategic positioning and ruggedness make it an enticing battleground for ISIS, which has beefed up its ranks with foreign recruits and extortion profits. Despite Al-Shabaab’s predominant hold in Somalia, ISIS-Somalia’s leader Abdulqadir Mumin has crafted the group as a nerve center for jihadist maneuvers across Africa, enhancing its global cred.
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
